Drain bag support assembly



March 5, 1968 F. J. SERANY, JR, ETAL 3,371,397

DRAIN BAG SUPPORT ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 22, 1965 Wren-2:41 Ym I ATTORNEY;

March 5, 1968 F. J. SERANY, JR. ETAL 3,371,897

DRAIN BAG SUPPORT ASSEMBLY I Filed July 22, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.2 O '60 28 BY v United States Patent 3,371,897 DRAIN BAG SUPPORT ASSEMBLY Frank J. Serany, Jr., Pompton Plains, and John C. Vasta, Clifton, N.J., assignors to C. R. Bard, Inc, Murray Hill, N.J., a corporation of New York Filed July 22, 1965, Ser. No. 474,107 8 Claims. (Cl. 248-95) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A support for a drainage bag intended to receive body fluids, the support comprising a flexible strap for use in hanging the support from a bed rail or the like and the support having clamping means guiding a drainage tube leading to the bag and means for removably attaching a bag to the support.

This invention relates to disposable drainage bags and is more particularly concerned with supporting such bags from the sides of hospital beds or the like.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a device which includes a support adaptable to be suspended from the side of a hospital bed or the like and which may be readily attached to and detached from a drainage bag.

Another object is the provision of a support for a drainage bag which is of a relatively simple construction having desirable supporting elements formed therewith and which is adaptable to be inexpensively manufactured.

A further object is the provision of a drainage bag support which can be quickly attached to and detached from a hospital bed or the like, which can be easily and conveniently transported along with the contents of the bag, and which can, as desired, readily support a drainage tube in alignment with an opening in the drainage bag.

A further object is to provide certain improvements in the form, construction, arrangement and material of the several elements whereby the above named and other objects may effectively be attained.

The aforesaid objects and other objects which will become apparent as the description proceeds are achieved, in the illustrated embodiment, by providing a drainage bag support in the form of a unitary structure on which are incorporated the various means for hanging the support from a bed or the like, for supporting a readily detachable drainage bag, for facilitating transporting of the drainage bag and contents, and, as desired, for conveniently supporting a drainage tube in alignment with an opening in the bag.

A practical embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the invention showing a drainage bag suspended from a bed rail.

FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view similar to FIG. 1, but showing how the drainage bag may be carried.

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view taken along the lines III-III of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an elevational view, drip chamber.

FIG. 5 is a partial plan view looking along the line V-V of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a perspective View, partly broken away, of the slide rod.

FIG. 7 is an elevational view of the opening for receiving the free end of the supporting strap.

FIG. 8 is a partial perspective view of an alternate arrangement.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to FIG. 1, a drain bag assembly 10 is shown as comprising a drain bag 12 suitably carried by a structure or support 14, the latter in turn being suspended from a rail 16 of a bed 18.

partially in section, of the 3,371,897 Patented Mar. 5, 1968 The support 14 includes a main body 15 from which there extends a yoke 20 formed generally as an inverted U and from the middle of which there further extends a flexible strap 22. The free end portion of the strap 22 is adapted to be flexed, passed around the bed rail 16, and suitably secured to the support 14 by attachment means. The latter means may comprise opposed notches 24 extending transversely from the longitudinal edges of the strap 22 and adapted to engage the edges of an opening 26 in the support 14. The opening 26 has a wide section 28 (FIG. 7) and a narrow section 30 between which is a narrower neck 32. The wide section 28 is large enough to freely receive the strap 22. The narrow section 30, on the other hand, is the same width or just slightly wider than the transverse distance between opposed notches 24, such that the strap 22 may he slipped from the wide section 28 to the narrow section 30 where it is suitably held from longitudinal displacement by the engagement of the notches 24 with the edges of the narrow section 30. When the strap is attached as shown in FIG. 1, the neck 32 holds the strap 22 in the small section 30, however, the strap 22 may be passed by the neck 32 from or to the narrow section 30 merely by manually twisting or canting the strap 22 slightly and sliding it out past the neck 32. Thus the strap 22 is suitably held within the narrow section 30 (unless manually removed) to form, with the support 14, a closed loop around the bed rail 16 to thereby suspend the assembly 10.

From the above descripion it will be observed that the free end portion of the strap 22 may easily be attached to and detached from the opening 26 in the support 14 for hanging or removing the latter from a bed rail or for adjusting the size of the closed loop formed by the strap 22 and support 14. In addition to suspending the assembly 10 from a bed rail, the closed loop formed with the strap 22 may be used as a handle to carry the assembly 10, for example, when used with ambulatory patients.

As an added convenience, however, a separate handle 34 may also be provided on the support 14. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 the handle is formed by an inverted, generally U-shaped strap extending from the main body 15 of the support 14 within the yoke 20. As best shown in FIG. 2, the strap 22 and its yoke 20 may be readily flexed to one side so that the handle 34 may easily be grasped for carrying the assembly 10 when it is detached from the bed rail. The handle 34 may also be used in holding the assembly 10 to take the weight off of the strap 22 when the latter is being detached from the bed rail.

In addition to the strap 22 and handle 34, the support 14 is also provided with means for detachably supporting the drain bag 12 therefrom. Such means may comprise spaced lugs 36 and 38 for slidably receiving and support ing a slide rod 40. The slide rod 44 is passed through one lug 36, then through a suspension sleeve 42 formed at an upper portion of the bag 12, and thence into the other lug 38. The slide rod 40 may have a tapered insertion end 44 and an enlarged head. 46 at the other end to serve as a stop as it abuts the lug 36 after insertion. The length of the suspension sleeve 42 is equal to or slightly less than the distance between the lugs 36 and 38. Suitable cutouts 48 and 50 may be provided in the bag 12 to accommodate the lugs 36 and 38 to provide free access for the slide rod. Alternatively, the upper edge of the bag 12 outboard of the suspension sleeve 42 may terminate along a line extending from the lower edge of the sleeve.

As illustrated, a heat seal 52 is provided about portions of the cutouts 48, and 50 and also between the suspension sleeve 42 and the main part of the bag 12 such that the latter is closed off from the atmosphere. The bag 12 may be initially formed from a sleeve in which the cutouts 48 and 51) are made transversely from a longitudinal edge. The ends of the sleeve may then be heat sealed at 54 and 3 the aforementioned heat seal 52 applied at the cutouts and suspension sleeve.

In order to support a drainage tube 56 adjacent the inlet 58 to the bag 12, the support 14 may be further provided with clamping means which comprises a lateral extension 60 from which the lugs 62 project. The lugs 62 are suitably spaced from each other and are provided with lips 64 forming a narrow entrance to the space between adjacent lugs 62. The lugs are made flexible and may be sprung apart as the drainage tube 56 is pushed transversely of its longitudinal axis past the lips 64 into the larger space between adjacent lugs. The lugs 62 are so spaced as to resiliently clamp the tube 54 therebetween. The lips securely hold the tube between the lugs during normal use. Several lugs with unequal spacing may be provided to accommodate difierent size drainage tubes.

In order to provide space for a drip chamber, the lateral projection 60 may be spaced above the drainage bag inlet 58. Drip chambers are frequently employed to break the wet path and avoid a direct route for the entry of infective agents into the patients body. As shown in FIG. 4, a drip chamber 66, formed in two sections 68 and 70 held together by a snap fit, receives and holds, by a slight interference fit, the end 56 of the tube 56 in a position where it is spaced from the inner walls of the chamber, thereby breaking the Wet path.

As shown in FIG. 1, the drip chamber 66 is readily accommodated between the lateral extension 60 and the bag inlet 58, a portion of the main body of the support 14 adjacent the drip chamber being cut away to avoid interference with the drip chamber.

The inlet 58 to the bag may be provided with a cylindrical inlet tube 72 made of plastic or the like. A portion of the outside periphery of the tube 72 is suitably sealed to an access opening in the bag 12 such as by the heat seal band 74. The inlet tube 72 may be provided with a cap 76 supported on an integral flexible extension 78. When the drain bag is in use, the cap 76 is suspended to one side (FIG. 1) while the outlet 80 on the drip chamber 66 is received and held in the inlet tube 72 by a slight interference fit. When not in use or when the bag and contents are to be removed from the bedside, the outlet 80 of the drip chamber is removed from the inlet tube 72 and the cap 76 may be set in place therein as shown in FIG. 2.

It will be observed that the drip chamber 66 is supported in place by the inlet tube 72 and the drain tube 56. When the bag is to be removed from the support 14, drip chamber 66 may remain supported on the end of the drainage tube 56. It will also be noted that the bag 12 will be sealed from the atmosphere when the cap 76 is in place as shown in FIG. 2 since all other sections of the bag are sealed as previously described.

The support 14 described above is adaptable to be manufactured of plastic and the various described elements such as the main body 15, yoke 20, strap 22, handle 34, lateral extension 6%, lugs 36, 38 and 62 may be molded as a single molded plastic piece. This not only reduces the cost of manufacture but also provides a compact unit. The plastic employed is flexible to provide for flexing of the strap 22, yoke and the lugs 62. The main body 15, yoke 20, strap 22 and handle 34 may be of a single thickness or, as desired, sections such as the yoke 20 may be made slightly thinner than the main body 15 to enhance the flexibility. Also thinner sections may be employed at 20' where the yoke 20 joins the main body 15 so that the yoke will bend at these sections to extend over the rail 16 as shown. Extra thickness to increase the strength may be employed as desired, for example, around the edges of the narrow section 30 of opening 26 or about the notches 26.

It will be observed from the above description that the drainage bag 12 may be readily changed by detaching a filled bag from, and attaching a new bag to the support 14 as the latter is suspended by the strap 22, or, as desired,

the bag may be emptied While it is still carried by the support 14 merely by lifting the bottom of the bag and causing the contents to flow out through the inlet tube 72 which has been disconnected from the drip chamber 66. The assembly 10 may be readily suspended from any suitable structure and it may be carried either by the strap 22 or the handle 34. The latter may also be used to hold the assembly as the strap is being aflixed to a support structure. The drainage tube 56 may be conveniently clamped in place adjacent the bag inlet 58, and suitable accommodation may be provided for a drip chamber 66. The drainage bag 12 can be sealed from the atmosphere whenever desired, Whether it is empty or full, by closing the cap 76 on the inlet tube 72.

FIG. 8 illustrates an alternate arrangement wherein a bag 82 has a sleeve 84 for accommodating the slide rod 40. A heat seal 85 extends straight across the top of the bag and an access opening 86 is provided by removing a corner of the bag as shown. A drain tube 88 suitably supported by the lugs 62 leads directly to the access opening 86 without use of a drain chamber or a bag inlet tube. The bag 82 may be of the type shown in Garth US. Patents 2,959,386 and 3,079,292.

It will be evident that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the several parts Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and hence we do not intend to be limited to the details herein shown or described except as the same are included in the claims or may be required by disclosures of the prior art.

What we claim is:

1. A support for a drainage bag comprising a bag supporting structure, an elongated strap on said structure adapted to be readily flexed and passed around a side rail of a bed or the like, and attachment means on said structure adapted to engage an end portion of said strap to form a closed loop about said rail, said supporting structure including a generally flat body portion and said attachment means comprising an opening in said fiat body portion, said opening having 'a large section and small section with a narrower neck between said sections, said large section freely receiving said strap, the end portion of said strap having opposed notches formed thereon and said smaller section being of a width to engage said notches to secure the strap in said opening.

2. A support for a drainage bag as set forth in claim 1 wherein said neck is narrower than the strap transversely of said opposed notches to hold the strap in said smaller section.

3. A support for a drainage bag comprising a bag supporting structure, an elongated strap on said structure adapted to be readily flexed and passed around a side rail of a bed or the like, and attachment means on said structure adapted to engage an end portion of said strap to form a closed loop about said rail, said supporting structure including clamping means on said structure for supporting 'a drainage tube leading to said drainage bag, said clamping means being formed on a lateral extension of said structure and so disposed as to accommodate a drip chamber below the clamping means and above said drainage bag.

4. A drainage bag support comprising a bag supporting structure, an elongated strap on said structure adapted to be readily flexed and passed around a side rail of a bed or the like, and attachment means on said structure adapted to engage an end portion of said strap to form a closed loop about said rail, said supporting structure including means on said strap defining a handle, and in which said strap is joined to said structure by 'a yoke which straddles said handle.

5. A drain bag support assembly comprising a hanger having a generally flat main body, an elongated strap extending therefrom, means detachably aflixing a free end portion of said strap to said main body so as to form a closed loop in which a bed rail or the like is adapted to be accommodated to suspend the hanger therefrom, a drain bag, and means on said hanger supporting said drain bag, the last said means comprising spaced lugs on said main body, and a bag holding slide rod received and supported in said lugs.

6. A drain bag support assembly as set forth in claim 5 wherein said drain bag is provided with a suspension sleeve for receiving said slide rod.

'7. A drain bag support assembly as set forth in claim 5 wherein said drain bag is provided with cutouts to accommodate said spaced lugs.

8. A drain bag assembly comprising a unitary structure having a generally fiat main body, means on said structure defining a handle to facilitate transporting of the drain bag assembly, a yoke straddling said handle, a longitudinally extending strap carried by said yoke, means in said main body for securing a free end portion of said strap such that the strap and main body form a closed loop in which a bed rail or the like is adapted to be accommodated to suspend the drain bag assembly therefrom, means carried by said main body for supporting a drain bag, and clamping means for holding a drainage tube leading to said drain bag.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,231,901 2/1966 Kennedy 4-110 3,237,624 3/1966 Jinkens et al. 128-275 3,251,069 5/1966 Clark 4110 3,253,593 5/ 1966 Cronin 128-275 3,254,817 6/1966 Bartz 224-45 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,161,595 3/ 1958 France. 1,234,236 5/ 1960 France.

937,706 9/ 1963 Great Britain.

ROY D. FRAZIER, Primary Examiner.

0 K. I WINGERT. Assistant Examiner. 

